The Nautical Encyclopedia

Patterson’s Illustrated Nautical Encyclopedia — Howard Patterson, 1891

⚓ The Superstition Locker ⚓

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Home ⚓ Letter B ⚓ Before the Mast

Before the Mast

Sea Terms

Expressive of that portion of the crew who live in the forecastle.

← Before the Beam All “B” entries Before the Wind →

2026 Editor's Note: 'Before the mast' — where the crew berthed — became literature's phrase for the common sailor's life after Dana's Two Years Before the Mast (1840), the book that showed passengers what the fo'c's'le cost. (Ed: BR 2026-07-05)

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The Nautical Encyclopedia (1891) is in the public domain; this digital edition © 2026 PhotoOpAI.